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Original poster

How do people get free upgrades?

33 replies

lipstadt · 29/03/2019 12:49

I'm talking about the sort where you check in and they bump you up a class, or you're about to board and you get called over for an upgrade.

I have BA Bronze Status and may make it to Silver this year. Never have I been upgraded. People around me have, and there doesn't seem to be any sort of rule as to who gets the upgrade,

How many tier points must they have!

OP posts:

Original poster

lipstadt · 29/03/2019 12:50

In fact, about 10 years ago I was travelling with a friend to New York and he felt unwell. He mentioned this to the air hostess a few times and got upgraded from cheapo economy with me, to FIRST

OP posts:

ShanghaiDiva · 29/03/2019 13:09

Dh has been bumped up from business to first class. He has senator status with Lufthansa - no idea what this means in terms of points, but it's not the top level card.

PotolBabu · 29/03/2019 13:12

If you are a v v frequent flyer. I don’t think Silver will cut it. FIL flies Business/First for work internationally every week so when he has to travel on holidays he either has enough points or he gets bumped up. It’s quite rare. I have been upgraded once because someone had taken my Economy seat and refused to move (long story). And then began screaming at me and the flight attendants who quickly bundled me into Business Class. I was only 18/19 though and it was a 10 hour flight. So I enjoyed myself but didn’t fully appreciate how nice it was.

BubblesBuddy · 29/03/2019 13:22

My DD aged 16 was bumped up to business when flying back from HK where she had visited a friend. As an unaccompanied minor we were surprised but she was a single person and maybe they thought the Seat was better. She was so happy!

We were bumped up as a family because we were bumped off a flight! Oversold. We got business for 4 out and business for 4 back plus £1000 compensation which was the standard offering at the time but the upgraded flights were not. We felt the upgrades were generous as they were back from New York which is always busy and expensive for business.

We have also been bumped from business to first on a flight to India. We are not silver. We are not much at all. Singles are more likely to get bumped up and it’s becayse they want your seat. Look smart and don’t ask.

CMOTDibbler · 29/03/2019 13:26

I've been a frequent flyer (in economy) for 19 years. Even as a gold card holder with BA I'd only get upgraded very occasionally, and it hasn't happened for years now in Bronze/Silver. Its a complicated method by which they choose who to upgrade if economy is overbooked but not business.
Other airlines, its more common and you may get guaranteed upgrades at certain status levels

buzzbobbly · 29/03/2019 13:40

'Most likely candidates' criteria are generally in the range of

High status in the loyalty tier immediately below
Frequent flyer
Single
Looks presentable
Decent manners (i.e. not demanding upgrades!)
No special requests/meals

There are a lot of people jostling in those first two categories alone.

I am flying long-haul First (paid for) later this year. Part of the fun when "only" in Business is to go for a walk round the plane and then disappear back behind the magical curtain after you wander through economy. This time I get to do it twice!

(I have done my hard yards in economy for many years, so don't think I'm some silver-spooned rich kid!)

GiantKitten · 29/03/2019 13:53

My DD has been bumped up to business twice on flights to JFK - once was with Aer Lingus iirc, forget the other.

Both times were just after Christmas though, when there had been problems with weather delays etc so the flights were overbooked. She had no status with either airline, but does make a point of looking as smart as she can on these trips, so that can pay off! (Also travelling solo helps I suppose, as it’s easier to move 1 person than several)

MaitlandGirl · 29/03/2019 13:56

I got bumped to business (I think) many years ago when I was flying from Heathrow to Sydney, via Hong Kong.

There was a family that needed to sit together and the seat I swapped to was next to a very obnoxious man who was verbally abusive. As soon as the seat belt sign went off the cabin crew moved me and I kept my upgrade all the way through, even though he departed at Hong Kong.

I didn’t get upgraded on the way back but I had a bulkhead seat then so I wasn’t nt too upset about having to sit in my booked seat.

eurochick · 29/03/2019 14:20

Travel alone and be a frequent flyer.

I've been upgraded twice. Both times other people were agitating to sit together (probably angling for an upgrade themselves) and I was easy to move. In the most recent case it was also my fourth long haul flight with that airline that month.

BarkandCheese · 29/03/2019 14:25

DH has silver, he gets bumped to business class quite often, but generally on short haul flights of two hours or less. I think he’s been bumped to first on long haul once.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 29/03/2019 15:10

"I'm talking about the sort where you check in and they bump you up a class, or you're about to board and you get called over for an upgrade".

Higher tier status like Gold or to a lesser extent Silver does help along with continued loyalty to the airlines partners based alliance (for example One World Alliance).

The scenarios you write of have happened to us as a family. We were bumped up a class on an internal AA flight in the US for two reasons; this flight was overbooked and the other being the status with their fellow One World partners. They were glad of bumping us so that three other people could have these seats.

We were travelling BAs Premium Economy on a return leg and we were upgraded because they had three empty seats in business and wanted to fill them. In all the years I have used BA or other One World Alliance partner airlines these are the only times this has happened.

Personal tier points are reset to zero at the end of each membership year and I go up and down between silver and bronze depending on the number of tier points I amass during the year.

PurplePiePete · 29/03/2019 15:26

I've been bumped economy - 1st as a family when the flight was overbooked and again flying solo but only after the meal service had been done - was quite annoyed as had 3 seats to myself in economy and then had to make polite chit chat in 1st - had been moved at the request of a FoF who was flying up there

NotMoreFootball · 30/03/2019 00:57

DH has top tier status for several airlines, not only do we get upgraded, we also get escorted on to the plane first and are met by car or golf buggy at the gates to take us to our connections. Can't pretend that I don't enjoy my occasional moment of 5 star treatment!

eyesbiggerthanstomach · 30/03/2019 01:07

Too many passengers booked on so we were upgraded as a family economy to business to Saudi Arabia.

There were some Saudi families in first who would put their 'maids' who travel with them in business!

Monday55 · 30/03/2019 07:30

I have a male friend who gets upgraded frequently because he travels wearing a sharp suite, so the airlines probably thinks he's a reputable business customer or someone important lol.

yearinyearout · 30/03/2019 07:36

My aunt and uncle have been upgraded several times simply because they always dress up to travel. They look like they are off to a bloody wedding.

Monday55 · 30/03/2019 07:39

I also got upgraded as a minor when I was 12years old travelling by myself. I was sitting in the economy area as per my ticket seat allocation. After take off a member of staff just came and said come with me please. So I just followed and he gave me a new seat in a spacious & quiet area and gave me a gaming pad. I didn't want to leave that airline when we landed.

MarthasGinYard · 30/03/2019 07:40

I think it's all changed

Years ago popping up late to Check In with a stressed out smile worked if they were overbooked in economy.

As aircrew in 90's we would always get an automatic upgrade with more or less any airline.

Oh how times have changed

boymum9 · 30/03/2019 07:53

We got bumped to business on BA to and back from the US on our honeymoon a few years back, we didn't ask to be upgraded at all but husband is chatty and was talking to the check in desk and inquired about the cost of upgrade, told there was no space, started talking about our wedding etc. Turned out they'd upgraded us when we got to the gate we realised, I assumed they'd moved two people into first. I can't remember how it happened on the way back. We were frequent flyers and had flown business a few times before, maybe that made a difference

m0therofdragons · 30/03/2019 08:01

We travelled to Canada with dd1 age 5 and dtds age 22 months. They'd accidentally messed up our seats. We couldn't sit next to each other due to oxygen masks and two babies on laps so dh and one baby was to be behind us but they'd split us by another row. We were fine with it but they apologised and put us in business class (I was terrified dc would mess up everyone's flight but the extra leg room and constant food was amazing).

Dramatical · 30/03/2019 08:23

DH has silver, he gets bumped to business class quite often, but generally on short haul flights of two hours or less. I think he’s been bumped to first on long haul once.

It's not much of a jump on BA short haul flights though, so probably happens more frequently. Long haul is a huge difference.

Janecon · 30/03/2019 08:32

You're more likely to get upgraded if you have a friend or family member who is crew. The upgrades go to family and friends. Or the crew themselves. I will never travel again with Virgin for this reason alone.

Dramatical · 30/03/2019 08:35

Eh? You won't travel with Virgin because they provide you with the service you paid for

Parker231 · 30/03/2019 08:36

With BA we have Gold status. We usually book business class but have on a few occasions been upgraded to first on long haul.

Longislandicetee · 30/03/2019 08:43

Gold status on BA. Typically fly with them each month. I tend to get upgraded every other trip. But....Dh also gold status, he also flies with them each month. He's only been upgraded once, last year.

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